One Good Thing by Jillee

Home Hacks, Cleaning Tips, & DIY

Header Right

  • Homekeeping
    • All Homekeeping
    • Cleaning
    • Laundry
    • Crafts & DIY Projects
    • Gardening & Outdoors
    • Organization
  • Natural Remedies
    • Essential Oils
  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Gluten-Free
    • Breakfast
    • Baking
    • Appetizers
    • Desserts
    • Snacks
    • Side Dishes
    • Instant Pot
  • Bright Ideas
    • All Bright Ideas
    • Advice
    • Saving Money
    • Green Living
  • Beauty
    • Hair & Makeup
    • Skincare
  • Shop
  • Get OGT Plus
  • Log in

sticky-header-right

Home · Homekeeping · 21 Hidden “Hot Spots” For Germs

64

21 Hidden “Hot Spots” For Germs

Jill Nystul  ·  October 9, 2012

Lately it seems like everywhere I turn there is someone offering to give me a flu shot!  It’s been a sobering reminder of what the winter season most likely has in store for us. It’s also inspired me to look into some ways (besides getting a flu shot!) that we can do to AVOID colds and flu this year.

More Ideas You'll Love
Best Ever Creamy Crockpot Cocoa

How To Make Incredible Hot Chocolate…In Your Crockpot!

This isn’t the first time that I’ve shared this recipe here on the blog, but it’s definitely one that’s worth re-sharing. In fact, this hot chocolate ... Continue Reading

After a lot of looking…I am convinced that the VERY best way to prevent colds and flu is to keep away from germs where you are most likely to pick them up. So I proceeded to put together a list of germ “hot spots” to avoid.

MY LATEST VIDEOS

Of course we can’t avoid touching most of the items mentioned in the list below….(most Americans touch about 300 different surfaces every 30 minutes)….but I think a little common sense and attention to what you’re coming in contact with can go a long way in helping protect you and your family.

Here are some of the most common germ “hot spots” taken from several different scientific studies (listed below):

Cutting Board

There are 200 times more fecal bacteria on a cutting board than a toilet seat. The reason? Many people rinse off their cutting board rather than thoroughly washing it.

Recommendation

Prepare a solution of a quart of water and “a jigger of bleach” and wipe down food preparation surfaces before making anything on those areas of the kitchen.

Buttons

These innocuous-looking offenders are found on ATMs, elevators, telephones and drink machines, among other things, and are often located in areas that are not cleaned and disinfected regularly.  First-floor buttons in elevators were the dirtiest because EVERYONE needs to go to the first floor. And these germs get transferred to the body part that comes in contact with faces the most — fingers and hands.

Recommendation:

Use your knuckle or wait for someone else to push it for you.

More Ideas You'll Love
Insulate Drafty Windows With Bubble Wrap

How To Quickly And Easily Insulate Your Drafty Windows

It's surprisingly simple and effective. Continue Reading

Car Dashboard

Dashboards are one of the most germ-laden locations in a car because it is one of the warmest places and has ventilation systems on either side that can aerate spores, blowing them out among unsuspecting passengers. Because the dashboard receives the most sun and tends to stay warm, it’s prime for growth.

In addition to the dashboard….other car interior “hot spots” include: change holders, cup holders and children’s car seats.

Recommendation:

Regularly wipe down the inside of your car with disinfecting wipes. Be more vigilant during allergy season.

Airplane Bathroom

Airplane bathrooms get cleaned, but the high volume of people they must cater to in a short amount of time leaves them very dirty very quickly.  Many people, will not wash their hands effectively because the sink is small, and dirty hands transfer germs to the face easily.

Recommendation:

Treat all airplane bathroom surfaces as if they are radioactive! Keep the lid closed when flushing, use a paper towel to handle lid, faucets and door handles after washing hands, then use hand sanitizer once back at your seat as an extra precaution.

Cell Phone

The phone provides a convenient meeting place for two different sources of germs — your hands and your mouth. Several studies show they carry tons of bacteria, including staph (which can cause skin infections), pseudomonas (eye infections), and salmonella (stomach ailments). Many electronic devices are in leather or vinyl cases, which provide plenty of creases and crevices for germs to hide.

Recommendation:

More Ideas You'll Love
Staying Warm This Winter

Here Are 10 Easy Tips That Will Help You Stay Warm All Winter

If you've been feeling perpetually chilly lately, these 10 tips are sure to help! Continue Reading

Use a disinfecting wipe a few times a week, and be conscious of where you rest personal items.

Handbags, Backpacks

Handbags & backpacks are often place on the floors of restaurants, subway floors, bathroom stalls, etc. Such places can be highly infected with bacteria like Salmonella and E.coli, which can easily adhere to the bottom of bags and can spread easily to other places where you put the bag like dining room table or the kitchen counter.

Recommendation:

Put your purse or backpack on a bench or a seat. Or, even better, hang the bag off the floor. If possible, wash and wipe your bag with soap and warm water regularly to get rid of germs.

Wallets

Paper currency has a way of getting around, from germ-filled hand to germ-filled hand. It picks up germs, viruses and often trace amounts of illegal drugs, and all of that ends up in your wallet. Flu virus strains can be potent on bank notes for 10 to 17 days. Because men keep wallets in their pockets, the wallet is close to body temperature — an ideal temperature for bacteria to breed.

Recommendation:

After handling the contents of your wallet, wash your hands with soap or use an alcohol based solution after every transaction.

Dirty Laundry

In the laundry room, your average load of wash contains more than coffee stains. It can be packed with bacteria such as e. coli from clothing, towels and linens.

Recommendation:

If you have to wash at lower temperatures, add a laundry disinfectant. Wash your hands after loading the washing machine, since bacteria and fungi build up on damp items. Avoid using the same sorting tables for clean and dirty laundry since the E. coli from the dirty clothes will transfer to the table and then back onto your freshly laundered clothes.

Kitchen Faucet

The metal aeration screen at the end of the faucet is a bacteria magnet. Running water keeps it moist, an ideal condition for bacteria growth. Because tap water is far from sterile, if you accidentally touch the screen with dirty fingers or food, bacteria can grow on the faucet.

Recommendation:

Once a week, remove the screen and soak it in a diluted bleach solution. Replace the screen, and let the water run a few minutes before using.

Garbage Disposal

The kitchen sink has about 1,000 times more bacteria growing in it than the average toilet! Bacteria loves to grow on the crevices in and around the slimy rubber stopper, contaminating whatever touches it—dishes, utensils, even your hands.

Recommendation:

At least once a week, clean the disposal’s rubber stopper with a diluted bleach solution—soap and water aren’t enough.

Welcome Mat

The area near your front door is one of the dirtiest in the house, and once bacteria is growing in your mat, anytime you walk on it, it has a free ride into your home.

Recommendation:

Spray the doormat once a week with a disinfectant. Leave shoes at the door, and avoid resting bags and groceries on the mat, too.

Vacuum Cleaner

Your vacuum sucks in all kinds of bacteria and food, creating an atmosphere for growth. Each time you use the appliance you could be spreading that bacteria around the house.

Recommendation:

Change your vacuum bag frequently OUTDOORS to avoid the cloud of bacteria that filters into the air. Clean the cavity of a bagless vacuum with diluted bleach and let it air-dry. Spray the brush with a disinfectant after every use—traces of bacteria can survive as long as 5 days inside the vacuum after you empty the dirt.

Dish Towel

Did you know your dish towels can harbor just as many nasty germs as your sponge?  A recent study of hundreds of homes across the United States found dish towels were contaminated with staph bacteria, dangerous strains of E. coli, and other bacteria. We often use towels to wipe up spills then reuse before washing them, which spreads germs.

Recommendation:

Stick to paper towels to clean countertops, and save the dishrag to dry just-washed pots and plates. Change towels or launder at least twice a week in hot water and bleach.

Soap Dispensers

Ironically, most soap containers are never cleaned so bacteria grows as the soap scum builds up. Plus, the bottom of the dispensers are constantly being touched by dirty hands, feeding millions of bacteria.

Recommendation:

Scrub hands thoroughly for 15 to 20 seconds with plenty of hot water—and, if you have it, use a hand sanitizer too.

Restaurant Ketchup Bottle

It’s rare that restaurants regularly bleach down their tabletop condiment containers, and the reality is that many people don’t wash their hands before eating. So while you may be diligent, the guy (or gal) before you may not have been.

Recommendation:

Squirt hand sanitizer on the outside of the bottle or use a disinfectant wipe before you grab it. Unfortunately, holding the bottle with a napkin won’t help because they are porous.

Refrigerator Seal

Even if you scrub the inside of your fridge…it may not be enough. A University of Arizona survey of 160 homes in three US cities found that the seal around the fridge tested positive 83% of the time for common molds. The mold can spread every time the refrigerator door opens—exposing anyone who’s susceptible to allergies and potentially contaminating the food.

Recommendation:

Wipe fridge seals at least once a week with a diluted bleach solution or disinfectant.

Makeup Testers in the Mall

Free make up testers are tried on many people who come in the mall for shopping. Makeup like lipstick and mascara contain bacteria like E.coli and Staphylococcus, which crawl on the outer casing of these testers. Mascara and eye pencils can lead to pink eye.

Recommendation:

The safest way to stay away from these diseases is to avoid using the testers. Try a new lipstick shade on the back of your hand and do not forget to wash it after testing.

Gym Equipment

Equipment in the gym provide a perfect environment for bacteria, fungus and viruses to thrive. Studies show that weight equipment is contaminated significantly more often than aerobic equipment, and disinfecting the equipment twice a day didn’t do anything to lower the virus count.

Recommendation:

When you use a machine, completely bandage all your open wounds to avoid infection; avoid touching your face between sets, and make sure to pack an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your gym bag.

Your Shower Curtain

The soap scum hanging out on your curtain is more than just unsightly….vinyl shower curtains are microbe meccas. Plus, the force of the shower spray will make germs take flight.

Recommendation:

Hang a fabric shower curtain. It will still harbor bacteria, but it’s much easier to clean. Just toss it in the washer, and use the hottest water the fabric can handle.

The Lemon Wedge in Your Drink

In a study from the Journal of Environmental Health, nearly 70 percent of the lemon wedges smashed onto restaurant glasses contained disease-causing microbes. Researchers ordered drinks at 21 different restaurants, securing 76 lemons. Testing revealed 25 different microorganisms lingering on the lemons, including E. coli and other fecal bacteria.

Recommendation:

Tell the waiter you prefer your drink without fruit. Why risk it?

Your Bed

More than 84 percent of beds in U.S. homes host dust mites. These microscopic critters live in your sheets and feed on your dead skin, and their fecal matter and corpses contribute to asthma and allergies.

Recommendation:

Don’t make your bed. A made bed traps the moisture dust mites need to thrive. Try bundling a dehumidifier with an oscillating fan for a two-pronged moisture eliminator.

How do you protect yourself from germs?

  • 2010 study conducted by the Hygiene Council, “Hygiene Home Truths”.
  • 2011, NSF International “Germiest Places in the Home” study.
  • “Germs in the Workplace Study”, University of Arizona, Dr. Charles Gerba.
  • Kimberly-Clark Professional, The Healthy Workplace Project, May 2012
  • Study presented at an American Society for Microbiology, lead researcher Katie Kirsch, University of Houston, June 2012.
  • The “5-second Rule” is a Myth, Paul Dawson, PhD, professor of food science at Clemson University.

Read This Next
  • 11 Things In Your Home That Are Dirtier Than You Know
  • Simple & Natural Immunity Boosters
  • How To Clean And Care For Your Down Bedding This Winter

Hi, I’m Jillee!

I believe we should all love the place we call home and the life we live there. Since 2011, I've been dedicated to making One Good Thing by Jillee a reliable and trustworthy resource for modern homemakers navigating the everyday challenges of running a household. Join me as I share homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make life easier so you can enjoy it more!

Every day I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

Read More
Categories
Cleaning Homekeeping

More Ideas From Homekeeping

Laundry Detergent Tabs

This One Simple Thing Will Make Laundry Day Easier For Everyone

How To Make A Cheap, All-Natural Dusting Spray

11 Dishwasher Do’s And Don’ts You Need To Know + A Printable Guide

Closet Hacks

8 Brilliant Closet Hacks That Will Actually Help You Get Organized

Microfiber Cloths

This Is Why Microfiber Cloths Are The Ultimate Cleaning Tool

Under The Kitchen Sink Organization

5 Easy Ways To Organize The Space Under Your Kitchen Sink

Musty Smells

Here Are 7 Quick And Easy Ways To Deal With Musty Smells

How to prevent dryer fires

How To Clean And Maintain Your Dryer To Avoid A Fire

The Worst Household Odors

Here’s How To Get Rid Of All The Worst Household Odors

High-Rated Cleaning Tools

14 Cleaning Tools From Amazon That Will Save You Time And Effort

Peppermint Kitchen Wipes

How To Make A Never-Ending Supply Of Cleaning Wipes In Minutes

How To Clean Those Smelly Outdoor Trash Cans

Fix Your Dishwasher

If You Have Hard Water, You Need To Know This Dishwasher Hack

Surprising Uses for Baking Soda

Surprising Uses for Baking Soda That Have Nothing To Do With Baking

Spring Cleaning Products

Here Are 11 Of The Best Cleaning Products You Can Buy On Amazon

Miracle Cleaner

My Miracle Cleaner Works Wonders on These 10 Cleaning Headaches

How To Rescue Your Old Yellowed Pillows

T-shirt folding

How To Fold A T-Shirt Like A Pro!

newest oldest most voted
ab
ab

According to the Finnish version of the US CDC, the most dangerous part of an airport is the Check-in line baggage tray. When a passenger empties all of ‘stuff’ including shoes into it and it passes through the x-ray machine, a TSA person wearing gloves collects it and carries it back to the stack at the beginning. Do they EVER get cleaned. Maybe we should tuck a canister of handwipes into our carry-on bags.

Vote Up0Vote Down 
4 months ago
Carletta Sulser
Carletta Sulser

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is possible for novel coronavirus, a new coronavirus that has killed at least 18 people in the Middle East and Europe, to be passed between humans, but only after prolonged contact. So far, however, there is no evidence that the virus is able to sustain generalized transmission in communities, a scenario that would raise the specter of a pandemic.:-;’

Adieu
<http://healthwellnesslab.com/

Vote Up0Vote Down 
6 years ago
Ezra Lasagna
Ezra Lasagna

Type A flu virus is constantly changing and is generally responsible for the large flu epidemics. The influenza A2 virus (and other variants of influenza) is spread by people who are already infected. The most common flu hot spots are those surfaces that an infected person has touched and rooms where he has been recently, especially areas where he has been sneezing.`*:”

Most recent piece of writing from our web site http://www.healthwellnessbook.comca

Vote Up0Vote Down 
6 years ago
Felicita Belt
Felicita Belt

Swivel bar stools are a brilliant idea for bar furniture and have many unseen advantages for both business and pleasure. Swivel bar stools are practical because they have excellent manoeuvrability when being sat in, this allows for extra comfort and convenience for those who are sitting in them. When in the bar or restaurant industries, swivel bar stools are usually affixed to the one spot, this facilitates the look of neatness and a well compacted yet spacious seating area. Most significantly swivel bar stools always look very chic and have an air of prestige about them… The latest posting produced… Read more »

Vote Up0Vote Down 
6 years ago
Valerie Boutwell
Valerie Boutwell

I never used to worry about any of this too much. I was happy to share food and drinks with people. After discovering that I was gluten intolerant and trying to avoid being cross contaminated with traces of gluten, I have started thinking about all these surfaces. I have read that 70-80% of the food consumed in the USA contains wheat or gluten. So for me, I am thinking about all those things that people touch right after eating a burger or a burrito, and they have gluten on their hands. Despite me being super super careful, I frequently have… Read more »

Vote Up0Vote Down 
6 years ago
Brooke
Brooke

OMG that one about “Your Bed” freaks me out! The others are prety nasty too. Well looks like I’m on a new mission to disinfect. Oh boy!
Thanks once again for the great info. BTW, I never make my bed so it’s a good thing. LOL

Vote Up0Vote Down 
7 years ago
Lisa C
Lisa C

I made us a bunch of pillow cases. We change them every few days, usually about 3 times a week. BUT, if anyone is sick, feverish, sniffles, sneezing, runny watery eyes, we change them BOTH daily in the morning when we get up. It has cut down on passing germs and reinfecting ourselves. We actually have not “passed” any air born illnesses in years. Plus its really REALLY nice to put a fresh pillow case on several times a week since we put our clothes on the line year round.!

Vote Up0Vote Down 
7 years ago
gail
gail

one of the best and safest ways to reduce the risk of getting the flu is still the flu shot. Please stop using a public domain to voice your bias against this very safe vaccination.

Vote Up0Vote Down 
7 years ago
Cocoa
Cocoa

Yay! I never make my bed unless I’ve just put on fresh sheets. Glad to know it’s actually a good thing :)

Vote Up0Vote Down 
7 years ago
CTY
CTY

One of the worst offenders I know of are shopping carts. Many stores now have sanitizing wipes for the handle but consider this—The child seat part of the basket has all kinds of troubles, leaky diapers, runny noses, spit up, drools, partially eaten you fill in the blank. Most of us folks without kids use that seat for fragile produce, eggs, bread, our purse etc. One solution. By pass that seat all together or when in a pinch use a hand carry basket offered at the front door inside the seat. Now those too can be nasty– but it cuts… Read more »

Vote Up0Vote Down 
7 years ago

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Jillee!

Every day I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

Read More
  • Contact
  • About
  • Work With Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

copyright © 2019 One Good Thing by Jillee · All rights reserved